Tire carrier



E' BELDEN TIRE CARRIER original led Sept. 12-, 1917 lln h I INVENTOR-Edward H. B n

a W W Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. BELDEN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLYS-OVERLAND GOM-PANY, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

[TIRE CARRIER.

Continuation of application Serial No. 190,965, filed September 12,1917. This application filed August 26, 1920- Seri l N0- 406, 88.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD I-I. BELDEN, residing at Toledo, county ofLucas, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Tire Carriers, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description.

The invention relates to tire carriers for motor vehicles and thepresent application is a continuation of an application filed by meSeptember 12, 1917, hearing Serial Numher 190,965.

The invention has for its object to provide a carrier, the parts ofwhich are simple in construction, light in weight, and inexpensive tomanufacture and which when assembled afford a strong and rigid supportfor the spare tire.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with apair of opposed springs and a connecting member therefor, an improvedtire carrier, adapted to be secured to said connecting memberintermediate the ends of the springs.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tire carrierconstructed in such a manner as to form a rigid triangular constructionadapted to be supported and braced from a central point on a transversetie between the side frame members of an automobile.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with apair of inwardly bent side frame members and a short connectiontherefor, an improved tire carrier adapted for connection to said partsby the means connecting the same.

Another object of the invention is to pro ride, in combination with therunning gear of an automobile, including side frame channels connectedat their rear ends by a cross channel for receiving the inner ends of apair of opposed springs, a tire carrier bracket adapted for connectionto the cross channel between said spring ends and carrying an upstandingtire holding member braced by arms secured upon said cross channel bythe means serving to connect the inner adjacent ends of the springsthere with.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tire holding bracketof novel construction having means for yieldingly securing a tirethereon.

To these and other ends the invention comprises certain novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully pointed out and claimed, it being apparent to those skilled in theart that the invention shown and described herein is susceptible ofvarious modifications, embodiments and arrangements to suit special orvarying conditions and I wish it to be understood that the terms which Ihave used are merely descriptive and not limiting, and that it is my in'tention to include any and all modifications which come within thescope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

A structure constituting one embodiment of my invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure I is a plan view of the rear end of a motor vehicle chassisequipped with a tire carrier constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure II is a view in rear elevation of the tire carried shown inFigure I.

Figure III is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on lines III-IIIof Figures I and II.

Figure IV is a detailed fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyon line IVIV of Figure III.

Figure V is a top plan view of the carrier or bracket for supporting thespare tire and Figure VI is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken online VI*VI of Figure I.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown the rear end of a motor vehiclecomprising the side frame channels 10, the rear ends of which convergetoward the longitudinal center of the car where they are connected bythe inverted channel 11 into which project the extremities of saidchannels as shown in Figure III, said channel ends being spaced apartwithin the inverted channel 11 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure I.The side frame members 10 are connected with the inverted channel 11preferably by means of the U-bolts 12 as indicated in Figure I and alsoby means of the bolts 13 as shown in Figures III and VI. Upon the rearaxle let is mounted the driving wheels 15 and connected wit-h the axleare the converging springs 16, the inner ends of which project into theinverted channel 11 and also into the ends of the side frame channels10, as best shown in Figure III, the inner ends of said springs beingspaced apart within said channels and terminating preferably at points,substantially flush with the tremit-ies of the side frame channels10,.the bolts 13'serving the double purpose of connecting the'inner endsof the springs 16 and side frame channels 10 within the inverted channel11,. as clearly shown in Figlll'eVI. By-spacing the ends of the springsand channel members 10 apart within the 'finverted channelll: a recessis provided for the? reception of the forward end ofthe carrier .orbracket 17 as indicated in Figure IH; The-frontend of the=carrierisposi- IC Y tioned wholly withinthe channel-11 between the ends: of thesprings 16 and side firanie members 10 and is secured.- therein by meansofzthebolts-lS extending through the vertical flange, 19. o'tv thecarrier whichv rests against the inner face of the forward leg ofthechannel, as indicatedin Figures III and VI The. carrier-171 is,provided with a centrally disposed upstanding rib 20 and at its oppositesides withthe downturned flanges 21 which'sextend substantially thefulllength of the carrier to strengthen and stifi'en'the same. The rearend of the carrier is turned up as-indicatedat 22, said upturned portionbeing provided at its ex- ,t-remity with the hinge knuckles 23 betweenwhich is. pivoted at 24:: the rear end of the hasp or tire holdingmember- 25, the front cnduof which is bent-downwardly to engage thetongue 26 struck upwardly from the rib 20 of thecarrier as'indicated inFigure V; Openings are provided in thetongue and hasp which may bebrought into alignment to permit the shackle'of thepadlock 27 to passtherethrough in order to lock-"he hasp against. movement. Asemi-circulartire holding trough 28 of semi-circular crosssection is;secured to and supported at its central-point upon the rear end oftliecarrier 17 which extends beneath the trough, with which itisconnected by spot-welding 'or' otherwise as preferred-4 Semi-circularreenforcing bands 29 areconnected with the upper ends of the trough andconnected with saidbands are the downwardly and inwardly extendingbraces 30, the lower ends-of which rest'upon and are connected with theinverted channel 11 by means of the bolts l which serve also to connectthe springs 16 and channel members 10 with the cross channel 11asipointed out above. The trough. 28 is adapted to receive the sparetire312-in the manner indicated inIFig ures II and III and the tire isyieldingly held within the trough by means of a spring 32 secured to theunderside of haspby means of the rivets 33, said spring being tightlypressed into engagement with the rim of the tire when the liasp is inlocked position upon the tongue 26. The spring 32 is preferablyconstructed of flat spring material and is adapted to engage the the atthe center thereof to hold it firmly within the trough and to yicldinglyresist any up 311d (IUWILIIIOWEIIIGIlt of the tire which may be impartedthereto when the vehicle is in service upon the road. The braces 30 notonly serve to hold the trough in vertical position but they also assistthe carrier 17 informing a suppoit for the tire and to a largecxtent'theyrelieve the strain upon the carrier 17 byacting as struts forsupporting the trough and tire therein. The carrier-17, trough12Sandfbraces 30am all rigidly connected and form a triangularconstruct-ion made up of relatively light sections of material, butwhich, by reason of their being combined in the manner shown, serve toproduce a rigidasupport upon which thetire is mounted, it being borneinmind of course that the tire isyieldingly held within the trouglr bymeans of thespring 32 and that it is thereby prevented from rattling orvibrating unduly when the machine is driven overrough stretches ofroadway. It will be notedthat the tire holder is supported and bracedfrom a central point-on thecross channel 11 and is. connected therewithby the means connecting the sideframc members and springs with the crosschannel, thus ieducingtoa minimum the amount oftinaterial and number ofparts used for supporting the spare tire; By spacing the ends of thesprings apart within the U-shaped channel member 11, to permit thesecuring of the forwardend of the carrier bracket 17 within said member'I am onabledt ov mount the tire closer to the body of: the car thanwould otherwise be possible and I thus avoid the overhang ant excessiveleverage of the carrier arm by reducing-the length of said arm to theniiniminn.

lVhile the form of structure herein shown anddescribed isadinirablyadapted tofulfill the objects primarily stated, it to be understood thatvarious changes in form, proportion and minor details of constructum maybe resorted to without departing from lilo side of said trough andextending across said trougl'i and locked to said support on theopposite side of said trough and a spring tongue carried by said arm andadapted to be engaged by the rim of a tire supported in said trough.

2. A tire carrier comprising an integral supporting member provided withupturned ends, one of which is adapted to be c0nnected with a suitablesupport, said member being provided at an intermediate point with atongue struck up therefrom, a tire retaining member hinged to the freeend of said member and adapted for connection with said tongue and aleaf spring secured to said tire retaining member to engage a tire heldby the said member.

3. In a tire carrying device, a holder for the tire, a bracket adaptedto support the holder, a retaining device for the tire including amember hinged tothe bracket and adapted for locking engagementtherewith, and a spring tongue secured directly upon said member andadapted to yieldingly engage the tire.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

EDWARD H. BELDEN.

